Dave Strider's head was heavy. His vision was blurry, but gradually getting better and better. Groaning, he began to look around himself. He was in his bedroom - well, it's wasn't his; it looked different. Bigger...with a larger bed, window...even a larger desk that Dave found himself at as he slowly came-to. On his bed was a red t-shirt, and his favorite pair of aviator sunglasses.
Slowly, Dave got to his feet, and he noticed they were being cradled in soft, almost pinkish socks. Dave couldn't remember when he went to sleep, or why he did at this weird, foreign desk...he was just thinking about getting to the bathroom and getting some food to eat. But he didn't know where the bathroom was. Dave cursed under his breath, and exited through his bedroom door, wandering down the hallway and into the living room. That was when he saw a familiar person sitting on the sofa watching TV...Bro!
"How long have I been asleep?", Dave asked, wandering around to sit down on the sofa next to Bro.
"Longer than you think.", Bro replied, letting his brother fall under his arm.
Dave let out a heavy, sleep-logged yawn."What is there to eat? I'm starving..."
"Cereal.", Bro said."One of your friends is in the kitchen...he's been waiting for you since last night, I hope you know."
"...Okay. I'll just piss in the skin..."
Bro didn't even object, he just groaned and sunk farther into the sofa cushions. Dave's sore legs wobbled to the kitchen, where, scarfing down cereal and chugging chocolate milk, was a boy Dave's age, with dark hair and glasses.
"John...?", Dave was really confused. He'd never seen John Egbert before in his life, but...he knew him, somehow.
John beamed."Yo.", he said through a full mouth. He pulled one of the barstools out, insisting for Dave to take a seat at his side at the kitchen island.
Dave shook his head, and instead wandered to the sink, where he pulled his soft pajama pants down to his thighs, and began to rather casually urinate into the kitchen sink. It was like he hadn't pissed in ages, he felt so relieved and lighter."John...how do I know you?", Dave asked, his lightly-colored eyes peeking over at John.
"It's a long story.", John said honestly."You wouldn't believe it...nobody would...I'm the only one who seems to remember it. You and your Bro, I mean."
"Well, who else is there in this magical little circle?", Dave asked sarcastically.
"A lot more people...", John's voice seemed a little pained and stressed, like he'd experienced something stressful and painful...almost traumatic."But, if I told you everyone, you wouldn't believe it."
"I wouldn't believe anything according to you, so why are you telling me that anything even happened?", Dave snapped as he pulled his pants back up. Reaching into the cupboards to get a bowl, he grumbled,"You might as well be lying to me."
"Then I'll tell you the truth.", John said as Dave grabbed a box of cereal. While John's blond friend poured his breakfast, John said quickly,"We-all-played-an-online-game-called-Sburb -and-we-got-sucked-into-the-game-with-a-group-of-o ther-kids-and-internet-trolls-that-were-real-troll s-named-Kanarya-and-Sollux-and-other-names-and-we- had-to-fight-to-get-back-to-the-real-world-and-I-g uess-we-won-because-we-woke-up-at-our-computer-scr eens."
Dave blinked at John for a few moments before saying,"I don't have a computer in my bedroom...You have to be lying to me! Hahahahaha! You're crazy, John!"
As Dave laughed hysterically, John ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He knew Dave wouldn't believe him - he should have just stayed at home! But Dave...Dave had to know what happened to him. Why was it only him that forgot? Roxy, Jade and the others remember it like it was yesterday, but Dave was in the dark.
Dave took an aggressive bite of his cereal and said,"You sound crazy. Totally psycho."
"Then why do you recognize me?!", John was getting angry and annoyed as he sat up in his chair."I didn't even know you existed before Sburb! We were total strangers...damn it, Dave, that happened! You night not remember, but it happened! Everyone else remembers but you! Why can't you remember?! Just think...please!"
"Why should I?!", Dave shouted back, slamming his hand on the kitchen island."If it happened, it happened, and I don't need to remember!"
"YES, YOU DO, DAVE STRIDER! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK, OUR TRIP TO SBURB AND BACK WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR BOTH OF US!"
Dave flinched back in shock, and John's face flushed harshly, and the dark-haired boy looked down at his hands in his lap. In that moment, something hit Dave, and he flinched at the realization, too. John...was his...
Dave rushed around the kitchen island to pull John into a tight hug. John gasped lightly at the embrace."...I'm sorry...", Dave said quietly."Tell me everything, John. I'll...try to listen."
John and Dave spent the rest of the day talking about everything that Dave forgot, slowly but surely jogging his memory. Dave couldn't seem to remember anybody at all, except for John and one Roxy Ladone. John got in contact with Roxy, and she arrived at Dave's home to help him with his memory.
"Hey...you look like me.", Dave laughed, pointing at Roxy."Funny."
Roxy sighed and adjusted the straps on her pink tank top."You've really changed, Dave. What happened?"
John shrugged."I have no idea. Now, Dave...I want you to think long and hard about this one..."